Mixed Up // Harry Styles

Twenty-One

                                       CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

FROM: LOUIS!!! :D

Dinner at my place tonight love, everyone’s gonna be there. Wear something casual! Might head out after! Love yooooooou! :) xxxx

     I shield my eyes from the bright morning sun seeping in through my bedroom blinds, pulling the covers over my head to block it out.

     “You can’t hide,” A voice echoes through the room, a soft chuckle escaping their lips.

     My body tenses and I lay still until the covers are swept from my body, leaving me shivering and the smiling face of Harry looking over me.

     “What, did you think I was some murderer?”

     “It was a possible thought,” I smirk. “How did you get in?”

     “Your neighbour Margaret, sweet little old lady,” He giggles like a child.

     “Aye, leave Margaret alone!” I warn and wag my finger at him.

     He pouts playfully and moves himself to lie down beside me, scooting over and resting his head on my stomach, my hand instantly finding its way to his curls tangling themselves into his hair and wrapping strands of them around my finger.

     “Harry, this isn’t fair on Mia.”

     “But it feels right,” He says softly.

     “She’s going to be your wife in two weeks, you was so excited, what happened?”

     “You moved on from me. You didn’t need me anymore, you had Aaron but I want you, I need you,” The sound of his whimpering voice killing me on the inside.

     “Felicity would call me daft, but Harry, I’ll always be in love with you. The amount of times I’ve wanted to kiss you over the years, but couldn’t. But now, it’s not fair on Mia, sh-“

     “She’s cheating on me,” He blurts out suddenly.

     “Why haven’t you ended it then?”

     “I don’t want her to have a bad image.”

     “She’s cheating on you Harry!”

     “And I’m cheating on her! What difference does it make?” He protests stubbornly.

     “Until you do something about it, I refuse to talk to you. Not even tonight at Louis’.” I mumble and pull my hand from his hair, allowing him to sit up.

     “Are you really going to be a kid about all this?” He rolls his eyes as I fold my arms.

     “If you’re gonna be inconsiderate then yes, yes I am.”

     He groans loudly and gets up off the bed, trudging towards the bedroom door but stopping just before it with a smile on his face.

     “Don’t deny that you liked the other night,” He winks.

     “Get out!” I yell but I can’t help the smirk creeping to my lips as I watch him walk out of the room.

                                                               *

     “Holly! You arrived, you’re early!” Louis cheers and pecks me on the cheek, moving aside to allow me entrance to his flat.

     “Holly!” Eleanor’s voice screams excitedly from the living room and I hear her soft footsteps fast approaching.

     “Eleanor!” I yell back, opening my arms widely for a hug which she gratefully accepts, squashing me between her arms.

     We walk through to the living room, plonking down onto the sofa, Louis sitting on the opposite side and looking between us both as we talk, occasionally joining in until one by one the boys and their girlfriends turn up.

     “Right, so when I said dinner at mine, I didn’t mean a home cooked meal, I meant ordering pizza and a movie night so it’s going to be a while until the pizza gets here.” Louis announces, standing in front of the TV, blocking the view to catch everyone’s attention.

     “Lou, move! We’re trying to watch Britain’s Got Talent!” Niall yells at the older boy.

     Louis huffs and sits down beside Eleanor, the both of them cuddling together.

     Niall catches me looking at them and smiles, “Come on Hols, come sit with me.” He pats his lap and I take up the offer, walking across the room to where Niall sat on the floor, parting his legs for me to sit between.

     “Don’t you think they’d be cute together?” Perrie coos, snuggling into Zayn.

     “We’re fine as we are.” We both say at the same time.

     “At least go as one another’s dates for the wedding,” She begs.

     “Nialler already has a-“

     “No, she bailed.”

     “Oh.”

     “Ple-ease!” Perrie continues to beg.

     “I don’t see why not, OK.”

     We nod our heads, receiving a squeal from Perrie which causes Zayn to flinch in surprise. I glance over at Harry who is already looking back at me in the darkness of the room, sadness evident in his smile. He quickly looks away, avoiding my eyes.

     For the rest of the night, everyone remains silent, eyes all fixed onto the TV screen apart from mine. I study the sleeping boy laying on the sofa alone after Mia left to go home, watching as his chest rises and falls in a steady sequence and I can’t help the images of the other night replaying back in my head.

     I don’t want him to get married, not yet.